Claim adjustment reason code · X12
CARC 29: time limit for filing has expired.
For Medicare fee-for-service, a claim is due no later than one calendar year after the date of service. Enter a service date to see the deadline. Other payers set their own limits in the contract.
Medicare filing deadline
Result
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What X12 says CARC 29 means
The time limit for filing has expired.
CARC 29 · Start 01/01/1995.
The Medicare rule
42 CFR 424.44(a)(1) says that for services furnished on or after January 1, 2010, the claim must be filed no later than the close of the period ending 1 calendar year after the date of service. The CMS Claims Processing Manual, chapter 1, section 70, describes the same limit as "12 months, or 1 calendar year". A service on March 15, 2026 therefore has a deadline of March 15, 2027. A claim counts as filed on the date the appropriate Medicare contractor receives it, not the date you sent it.
Exceptions
Section 424.44(b) lists exceptions. One is that the time is extended if CMS or a contractor determines the late filing was caused by an error or misrepresentation by an employee, a Medicare contractor or an agent of HHS acting within its authority. Another covers a beneficiary who was not entitled to Medicare when the service was furnished, under the conditions in the regulation. Read the full text before you rely on one, and be ready to document it.
Other payers
Commercial plans, Medicaid programs, workers' compensation and Medicare Advantage plans each set their own filing limit in the contract or provider manual. They can be shorter or longer than one year and can run from different start dates. Look at your contract or the provider manual; this page cannot supply that number.
If you already received CARC 29
- Prove the original timely submission: clearinghouse acceptance report, payer acknowledgement or the first remittance. Many CARC 29 denials are for corrected claims whose original was on time.
- If the original was rejected for missing information, see CARC 16 and show the earlier submission date.
- Check whether an exception applies and file the request the payer describes.
- If none applies, the amount is generally a write-off under the contract. Do not bill the patient unless the contract allows it.
Sources
- X12: Claim Adjustment Reason Codes — code text, start and last-modified dates (list dated 10/30/2026, retrieved 2026-11-01)
- eCFR: 42 CFR 424.44 — time limits for filing Medicare claims and exceptions (retrieved 2026-11-01)
- CMS: Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 1 — section 70, time limitations for filing Part A and Part B claims (retrieved 2026-11-01)
Every code description and rule above was retrieved from these pages on November 1, 2026. Payers revise code lists, contracts and policies, so confirm anything that affects a claim or a deadline with the payer.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to file a Medicare claim?
No later than the close of the period ending one calendar year after the date of service for services on or after January 1, 2010, under 42 CFR 424.44(a)(1).
Does a corrected claim restart the clock?
Not necessarily. Payers differ. Keep proof that the original claim was filed on time and ask the payer how it treats corrected claims.
What if the service date is February 29?
There is no same-day anniversary the next year. The calculator does not guess; ask your Medicare Administrative Contractor which date it applies.
Not legal, billing or medical advice
This page explains published code lists and rules and runs a lookup in your browser. It cannot see your claim, your contract or any payer's policy. Confirm with the payer or your Medicare Administrative Contractor before you resubmit, appeal or bill a patient.